TINICUM — Police are searching for a man who allegedly bound and robbed a Sunoco employee at knife-point Monday morning, holing up in the locked store for more than 20 minutes while customers attempted to enter.

A township officer was on patrol westbound on South Gov. Printz Boulevard at about 9:09 a.m. when he was flagged down by a motorist, according to a release issued Thursday by police Sgt. James Y. Simpkins Jr. The motorist told the officer that someone was locked inside of the Sunoco gas station at 15 Industrial Highway in Essington.

The officer entered the station through the front door and found no one behind the counter. He could hear the male clerk calling for help behind the locked office door, however. The victim told the officer through the door that he was tied up and couldn't move.

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The officer forced his way through the door and found the victim on top of the steps to the upstairs office, bound at his wrists with an electrical extension cord and bound at the legs by a vacuum cleaner cord, according to the release.

“The victim told the officer that a black male wearing a green sweatshirt with Philadelphia written on it and a mask had entered the store,” the release states. “The black male pulled out a knife and jumped the counter through the side window. The actor then took the money and lotto tickets. (The) victim stated that he was forced upstairs and tied up and was assaulted.”

Surveillance camera footage shows the suspect approaching the Sunoco’s door wearing a green Philadelphia Eagles sweatshirt, blue jeans and black low-top Nike sneakers. He appeared to be walking with a limp.

The robber was in the store for more than 20 minutes, according to the release. He had locked the front door and turned off the lights. Numerous patrons attempted to enter the store while the robber was inside, but turned away when they realized the door was locked.

Tinicum police reported that the suspect was seen with another man wandering around the Red Roof Inn and the Travel Lodge at about 8 a.m. that day and may have gotten off the 37 SEPTA bus from Philadelphia or the airport. He was last seen walking west on Route 291 in the area of Sellers Avenue at 9:10 a.m.

Anyone with information on the case is urged to contact the Tinicum Police Department at 610-521-3830.